Ballast car construction



Oct. 14, 1958 G. E. DATH BALLAST CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 12, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 14, 1958 G. E. DATH BALLAST CAR CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1954 INVENTOR.

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Oct. 14, 1958 a. E. DATH BALLAST CAR CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 12, 1954 United States Patent BALLAST CAR coNs'rRUcTioN Application October 12, 1954, Serial No. 461,788

13 Claims. (Cl. 105-279) This invention relates generally to the construction of railway ballast cars and it has particular construction of the hoppers therefor.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for diverting the ballast as it flows downwardly on opening of a door from the side of the rail therebelow; to reduce the clearance required between the rail and the diverting structure; .to employ a diverting plate or shedding member below each door and to swingably mount it for movement from an inclined ballast directing posi tion to a raised position spaced'from the rail; to interconnect each door and its diverting plate or shedding member in such manner that, when the former is swung to the closed position, the latter is swung upwardly to increase the clearance to the rail; and to limit the downward movement of each divertingplate or shedding member.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 11" of Figure 2 and showing the improved construction at one end of the hopper;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of Figure 1 and showing both doors of the hopper construction in closed'position with the diverting plates or shedding members raised and providing maximum clearance to the rail;

Figure 3 is a' vertical transverse sectional view showing one of the doors in partly opened position with the associated diverting plate or shedding member swung downwardly from its upper position; t

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the door further opened and the diverting plate or shedding member in itslowermost position;

1 Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 4, but showing the door in its full open position;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 66 of Figure 7 and showing one end of a modified hopper construction in which this invention is embodied;

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken 'g'enerally along the line 7-7 of Figure 6and showing the two doors in fully closed position with their associated diverting plates or shedding members fully'raised; .and

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view showing one of the doors illustrated in Figure 7 in partly opened relation to the ice position with the associated diverting plate or shedding member in its lowermost position and showing by broken lines the door in fully open position.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings, it will be observed that the reference character 10 is applied to a centersill which extends longitudinally centrally of a ballast car and spaced inwardly from a side wall 11. Between the centersill 10 and side wall 11 are 'V-shaped hoppers, one of which is indicated generally at 12. It will be understood that similar V-shaped hoppers are provided on the other side of the centersill 10. Since they are duplicates of the hopper 12, they are not shown or described herein.

The hopper 12 is formed by inclined end walls 13, only one being shown, and vertical end walls 14, only one of which is shown. Between the end walls 13 and 14 are inclined side Walls 15 and 16 which direct the flow of ballast downwardly.

Underneath the lower edges of the inclined side walls 15 and 16, longitudinal angles 17 and 18 are secured by suitable means, such as by rivets or by welding, and to these angles hinges 19 and 20 are secured. The hinges 19 and 20 carry hinge pins 21 and 22 for swingably mounting doors 23 and 24, respectively, along their upper edges. It will be obvious that the doors 23 and 24 in closed position form continuations of the inclined side Walls 15 and 16 and together form the bottom of the V-shaped hopper 12. Reinforcing angles 25 and 26 are provided along the ends of the doors 23 and 24 adjacent to the vertical end walls 14.

Any suitable means can be employed for operating the doors 23 and 24 to the opened and closed positions. For example, brackets 27 and 28 can be secured to their undersides and eye bolts 29 and 30 mounted thereon. Chains 31 and 32 are connected to the eye bolts 29 and 30 for controlling the movement of the doors 23 and 24. The chains 31 and 32 are trained over sheaves 33 and 34, Figure l, which are rotatably mounted on a shaft 35 which is carried by the wall 14 and the wall 36 spaced therefrom. It will be noted that the sheaves 33 and 34 are spaced centrally with respect to the nadir of the V-shaped hopper 12 for the purpose of redirecting the chains 31 and 32 to sheaves 37 and 38 which are carried by winding shafts 39 and 40. It will be understood that suitable operating mechanisms, well known in the art, are employed for rotating the shafts 39 and 40 independently of each other to permit swinging movement of the doors 23 and 24 to the open positions and for closing them.

It will be observed that the nadir of the V-shaped hopper 12 is symmetrically located above one of the rails 42. It will be understood that a similar relationship exists for the other side of the car. The ballast content in the hopper 12 is to be directed to either side of the rail 42, depending upon which of the doors 23 or 24is opened. However, while it is desirable to place the ballast as close as possible to the sides of the rail 42, it is undesirable to flood the rail itself. If this is'done, derailment of the ballast car or a succeeding car is likely to occur.

In order to direct the ballast properly to opposite sides of the rail 42, and still maintain the ballast as closely as possible to the sides of the rail 42, an inverted Y-shaped diverting structure is provided at the nadir of the V-shaped hopper 12. This structure includes a stem 44, the ends of which may be secured, as by welding, to the walls 36 at the ends of the hopper 12. It will'be noted that the stem 44 extends upwardly sufliciently far so that the lowermost edges of the doors 23 and 24 engage opposite sides thereof in the closed position. This insures that the ballast will be directed downwardly'to .24 on the undersides thereof.

3 the side of the rail 42 corresponding to the door thus opened.

The diverting structure also includes diverting plates or shedding members 45 and 46 which are hingedly mounted on a longitudinal hinge pin or rod 47 that is carried by lugs 48, Figure 1., which are formed integrally with the stem 44 along its lower edge. The diverting plates or shedding .members 45 and 46 are provided with lugs 4:9 and .50, respectively, through which the hinge pin or rod 47 extends. As shown in Figure l, the lugs 49 and 50 are arranged in sets between the lugs 48 on the stem 44. The downward movement of the diverting plates or shedding members 45 and 46 is limited by ribs 52 which are carried by the lugs 48 'on the stem 44 and act as stops.

It is desirable that the diverting plates or shedding members 45 and '46 be retracted to their positions, as shown in Figure 2, when the doors 23 and 24 are closed so as to provide maximum clearance between the car structure and the rail 42. By providing for retracting them, it is possible to position the hopper 12 nearer to the rail 42 and thus increase the load carrying capacity of the car.

With a View to swinging the diverting plates or shedding members- 45 and 46 upwardly when the respective doors 23 and 24 are closed, bell cranks, shown generally at 55 and 56, are rockably mounted at 57 and 58 on brackets 59 and 60 that are-carried by the doors 23 and The bell cranks 55 and 56 include relatively long arms 61 and 62 which; are .pivotally connected at their outer ends to slotted links 63 and 64, the other ends of which are pivot-ally connected at 65 and 66 to the outer edges of the diverting plates or shedding members 45 and 46. The bell cranks 55 and 56 also include short arms 67 811363 which carry rollers 69 and 70 that-are arranged to engage the undersides of angles 71 and 72 which are secured to the end walls 14. It will be understood that the rollers 69 and 70 are guided by angles 71 and 72 as the doors 23 and 24 are swung from and to the closed positions.

The operation of the foregoing construction will be :clear from a consideration of Figures 3, 4 and of the drawings. Figure 3 shows the lower swinging edge 73 of the door 23 spaced slightly from the stem 44 of the inverted Y-shaped diverting structure 43. Since the door -23 .has moved away from the angle 71, the roller 69 maintains contact therewith and the bell crank 55 swings in a counter-clockwise direction. long arm 61 is lowered, and consequently the diverting plate or shedding member 45 is lowered as shown. A

small amount of ballast then can flow between the lower edge 73 of the door 23 and the stem 44. This ballast flows over the diverting plate or shedding member 45 and is directed thereby away from the side of the rail 42 therebelow.

Figure 4 shows the door 23 swung to such position that the diverting plate or shedding member '45 occupies its lowermost position. Here the space between the lower edge 73 of the door 23 and the stem 44 is such as to permit a greater flow of ballast.

Figure 5 shows the door 23 in the fully open position, and the broken line 75 indicates the slope of the ballast heap that is formed along the side of the rail 42 therebelow. The arrangement is such that the ballast does not flood the top of the rail 42.

When the door 23 is swung to the closed position, the bell crank 55 swings in a clockwise direction and the roller 69 engages the underside of'the angle 71. As the door 23 continues to move toward the closed position,

the bell crank 55 rocks further and swings the diverting plate or shedding member 45 upwardly away from the rail '42 to the position shown in Figure 2.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, another em- -rbodiment of the invention is illustrated. Insofar as possible where the structure is the same, thesame reference The outer end of the a characters will be employed as for the construction shown in the preceding figures of the drawings. The doors 23 and 24 and operating mechanisms therefor are the same as previously described. A difierent mechanism is employed for diverting the ballast at the nadir of the V-shaped hopper 12. It will be noted that an inverted Y-shaped diverting structure '7 9 is employed and that it includes a stem which projects upwardly sufficiently far so that the swinging lower edges of the doors 23 and 24 contact the same in the closed position. The branches of the diverting structure are formed by diverting plates or shedding members 81 and 82 which are hingedly mounted on a common hinge pin or rod 83 that is carried by lugs 84, Figure 6, depending from and integral with the stem 80. The diverting plates or shedding members 81 and 82 are provided, respectively, with relatively wide lugs 85 and 86 through which the pin or rod 83 extends and also with relatively narrow lugs- 87 and 88,, these lugs being. arranged in sets and disposed .in .pairs between the lugs 84 depending irom the stem 80.

'In order to-swing the diverting plates or shedding members 8.1 and-82 upwardly when the doors 23 and 24 are closed, arms 89, and 90 are provided which are integral with the relatively wide lugs 85 and 86, respectively. These arms .89 and 94) have extensions. 91 and 92., the under surfaces 93 and 94 of which are arranged to be engaged by detents 95 and '96 that are carried by the doors .23 and 24 at their ends and .near their lower swinging edges. It will be. understood that when the doors .23 and 24 21I 6sSWU-I1g to the closed position, the detents 5 and 9.6 engage the surfaces 93 and 94 of the extensions 91 and 92 and cause conjoint movement of the diverting plates :or shedding members 8.1 and 82 therewith upwardly.

The opening movement of .the diverting plates or shedding members 81 and. 82 is limited by chains 97 and 98. Due end of each of these chains is fastened at 99 and 100 to the respective diverting plate or shedding member 81 and. 82, while the other ends are fastened at 101 and 10210. the wall 36 as shown.

The door 24is shown in- Figure 8 by full lines in partly opened position where it has been permitted toswi-ng .by rotation of the sheave 38 and the shaft 40. Here the detent 9.6-is swung-out of engagement with the underrsurface 94 of the extension 92 and the diverting plate or shedding member 82 has been permitted to swing to its lowermost position where .it is stopped by thechain 98. The lower edge 1 04 of the door 24 is spaced from the stem 80 or from the diverting plate or shedding member 82 so as to permit a relatively free flow of ballast. The broken line 106 indicates the slope of the heap of ballast which is formed along the side of the rail 42' therebelow. Of :course, the door 24 can be permitted to swing to the opened position shown by the broken lines. However, the location of The lower edge of the diverting, plate or shedding member 82. is such that the ballast cannot fioodtthe top of the rail 42.

The doors 23 and .24 .are urged downwardly as by the force of gravity acting on them and on the lading in the hopper :12. The diverting plates or shedding members 45 and 46- or 28-1 and 82 move downwardly under the force of gravity acting thereon and 'on lading that may flow thereon when the doors 23 and 24 are' opened. In order to insure that the'diverting plates or shedding members-45 and 46 or 81 and 82 positively swing downwardly when the doors 23 and 24 are opened the latter can :be mechanically interconnected with the former to cause such simultaneous movement.

'Since centain further changes can be made in the foregoing =constructions and different embodiments of invention can :bernade without departing from the spirit and scope-thereof, it. is intendedthat all matter shownin the accompanying drawingsand described hereinbefiore shall be interpreted as. illustrative and notin a sense.

What is claimed as new is: t

1. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having in one of its sides a door hinged along its upper margin and movable to an inclined closed position to meet with the opposite side of the hopper and form therewith the V-shaped hopper, a diverting member having one of its sides hinged to said railway car beneath the nadir of said hopper and extending underneath said door to direct ballast away from the corresponding side of the rail, and operating means interconnecting said door and diverting member to swing the latter upwardly to a predetermined position when the former is swung to closed position.

2. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each said hopper including in at least one of its sides a door hinged adjacent its upper margin and having its lower margin meeting with the opposite side to complete therewith the ,V-shaped hopper, a swingable diverting member on said railway car disposed below the door and arranged to divert the flow of lading from the hopper to dispose the same clear of the rail, a stop carried by the car and positioned in the path of a part movable with-said diverting member for limiting the downward swing of the diverting member,

and means interconnecting the diverting member with the hopper door for swinging the diverting member upwardly on movement of the door in a closing direction.

' 3. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having the lower portion formed by a pair of doors hinged along their upper margins and movable to inclined closed positions to mutually form the bottom of the V-shaped hopper, a pair of diverting members pivotally mounted on said railway car about an axis beneath the nadir of said V-shaped hopper and when lowered directing ballast away from the respective sides of a rail therebelow,

and operating means interconnecting each door and the I structure including a pair of pivoted shedding plates arranged on said railway car to assume an inverted V- shaped cope above the rail, and means including a pair of links pivoted to each other with one link of each pair pivoted to one door and the other link pivoted to the'corresponding shedding plate to swing the latter upwardly when the former is closed.

5. In a ballast discharging hopper car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rail on'which the car is mounted and adapted to discharge ballast to the sides of the rails, at least one side of said hopper having a door hinged adjacent its upper margin and movable to an inclined closed position to complete with the opposite side of the hopper the V-shaped hopper, a diverting member pivotally mounted on said railway car beneath the V-shaped hopper and adapted to divert lading away from the rail, said diverting member when the door is closed being movable to assume a non-shedding position, and linkage extending between the diverting member and the door to move the diverting member upwardly by closing movement of the door, said linkage including a bell crank lever pivoted to the door and having one arm linked with the shedding member and having the other arm engageable with an abutment on the hopper to effect a turning movement of the lever and lift the shedding member.

6. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having in oneof its sides a door hinged along its upper margin and movable to an inclined closed position to meet with the opposite side of the hopper and form therewith the V-shaped hopper, a diverting member having one of its sides hinged to said railway car beneath the nadir of said hopper and extending underneath said door to direct ballast away from the corresponding side of the rail, and operating means interconnecting said door and diverting member to swing the latter upwardly to a predetermined position when the former is swung to closed position, said operating means comprising a lug carried by the swinging edge of said door and an arm carried by said diverting member and disposed in the path of said lug as said door swings toward closed position.

7. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having in one of its sides a door hinged along its upper margin and movable to an inclined .closed position to meet with the opposite side of the hopper and form therewith the V-shaped hopper, a diverting member having one of its sides hinged to said railway car beneath the nadir of said hopper and extending underneath said door to direct ballast away from the corresponding side of the-rail, operating means interconnecting said door and diverting member to .swing the latter upwardly to a predetermined position when the former is swung to closed position, said operating means comprising a lug carried by the swinging edge of said door and an arm carried by said diverting member and disposed in the path of said lug as said door swings toward closed position, and stop means cooperating with said diverting member to limit the downward swinging movement thereof.

8. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having in one of its sides a door hinged along its upper margin and movable to an inclined closed position to meet with the opposite side of the hopper and form therewith the V-shaped hopper, a diverting member having one of its sides hinged to said railway car beneath the nadir of said hopperand extending underneath said door to direct ballast away from the corresponding side of the rail, operating means interconnecting said door and diverting member to swing the latter upwardly to a predetermined position when the former is swung to closed position, said operating means comprising a lug carried by the swinging edge of said door and an arm carried by said diverting member and disposed in the path of said lug as said door swings toward closed position, and stop means cooperating with said diverting member to limit the downward swinging movement thereof, said stop means comprising a chain connected at one end to said diverting member and at its other end to a stationary part of the hopper.

9. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails. each hopper having in one of its sides a door hinged along its upper margin and movable to an inclined closed position to meet with the opposite side of the hopper and form therewith the V-shaped hopper, a diverting member having one of its sides hinged to said railway car beneath the nadir of said hopper and extending underneath said door to direct ballast away from the corresponding side of the rail, operating means interconnecting said door and diverting member to swing the latter upwardly to a predetermined position when the former is swung to closed position, and means interconnecting said door and diverting member to swing the latter downwardly by force in addition to the force of gravity when the former is swung toward the open position.

10. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having the lower portion formed by a pair of doors hinged along their upper margins and movable to inclined closed positions to mutually form the bottom of the V-shaped hopper, a pair of diver-ting members pivotaH y mounted on said railway car about an axis beneath the nadir of said V-shaped hopper and when lowered directing ballast away from the respective sides of a rail therebe'low, operating means interconnecting each' door and the diverting member therebelow to swing the latter upwardly to a predetermined position when the former is swung to closed position, and means interconnecting saiddoors and the respective diverting members for swinging the latter'downwardly by force in addition to the force of gravity when the former are swung toward the open position.

11. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having in one of its sides a door hinged along its upper margin and movable to an inclined closed position to meet with the opposite side of the hopper and form therewith the V-shaped hopper, 1a diverting member-having'one of its side's hinged to said railway car beneath the nadir of said hopper and extending underneath saiddoor to direct ballast away from the corresponding side of the rail, an operating member movable conjointly with said door, another operating member movable conj'oi-ntly with said diverting member, and a connection between said operating members transmitting force from one to :the other to move said diverting member conjointly with said door.

12. In a ballast discharging railway car having V-shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each said hopper including in at least one of its sides a door hinged adjacent its upper margin and having its lower margin meeting with the opposite side to complete therewith the 'V'.shaped hopper, .a swingable. diverting member on said railway ca-r disposed below the .door and arranged to divert the flow of :lading from the hopper to dispose the same clear of the rail, a stop carried by the car and positioned in the path of a part movable with said diverting member for limiting the downward swing of the diverting mem'ber an operating member carried by said door, another operating member carried by said diverting member, and connecting means between said operating members for swinging said diverting member n-pwardly'on movement of said doorin a closing direction.

13. 'In a ballast discharging railway car having V -shaped hoppers disposed above the rails, each hopper having the lower portion formed by a pair of doors hinged along their upper margins and movable to inclined closed positions to mutually form the bottom of the V-shaped hopper, a pair of diverting: members pivotally mounted on said railway car about an axis beneath the nadir ofsa'id V-shaped hopper .and when lowered directing ballast away from therespective sides of a rail therebelow,.anoperating member movable conjointly with each door, another operating member movable conjointly with each diverting member, and connections between said operating members transmitting force from one to the other to move said diverting members conjointly with the respective doors.

' References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 718,742 Umholtz Ian. 20, 1903 1,066,607 Harrington July 8, 1913 1,402,172 Miner Ian. 3, 1922 1,563,553 Campbell Dec. 1, .1925 1,635,251 Campbell July 12, 1927 1,706,353 Dorey u Mar. '19, 1929 2,630,767 Dorey Mar. 10, 195.3 2,684,642 Dorey July 27, 1954 

